


The Time Rafael Learned About A Dark History

by heartsdesire456



Series: Max Two 'Verse [16]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Dark Past, Family Feels, Gen, Growing Up, Homophobic Language, M/M, Racism, Sexist Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 00:55:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7736788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec takes Rafael to observe a group of new trainee Shadowhunters and Rafael gets a very big shock when he learns, without warning, about the dark history of Shadowhunters taking trophies and spoils of war from Downworlders.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Time Rafael Learned About A Dark History

**Author's Note:**

> This is rated M not for anything sexual or violent, but just because there's some really serious topics and I felt like it deserved something to show that it wasn't the usual T-rated stuff in this series that's full of comical F-bombs.
> 
> I wanted to address Rafael learning about Shadowhunters other than his family and his Institute having very different reactions to Downworlders, and it got REALLY DARK tbh. But oh well, I did what I set out to do! lol

They had always said that, if Rafael wanted to learn more about his father’s job and his Nephilim blood’s heritage, they would let him make his own choices. Alec had once just assumed he would be raised as a Shadowhunter even. Now, however, as he and Magnus sat in front of Rafael and shared a look, Alec almost couldn’t imagine training his sweet little boy to wield a seraph blade.

“I just want to learn more about it,” he added when neither parent reacted. “I’m not saying I for sure wanna get Marks and start training, but I just want to know. I- I want to see what it’s like.”

Magnus squeezed Alec’s hand. “Well, we did say you could make your choices,” Magnus said faintly, looking at Alec. “What do you think?”

Alec nodded. “Yeah, okay,” he said, turning back to Rafael. “Max has some other teenagers living here training with him,” he said with a shrug. “I can bring you to one of their afternoon sessions after school,” he agreed. He smiled, still a little shaken by the sudden realization that, now that he had turned ten two days ago, Rafael was the same age he had been when he took his first marks and started training. “Do you think you want to be a Shadowhunter, even if you aren’t sure?” he asked.

Rafael shrugged. “I don’t know. I only know what our family talks about. I don’t know anything about Idris or Shadowhunters or Alicante or the Clave. I don’t know anything about runes other than just what I’ve picked up from your runes and Papa showing us things in books. I have no idea if I’ll want to or not. I just want to learn.”

“Well, that’s a good start,” Magnus said, smiling at Rafael. “You know we won’t ever rush you or force you to choose one way or the other. We will always let you make your own choices.”

“About this,” Alec tacked on quickly, giving Rafael a knowing look. “Eating Lucky Charms for dinner is _not_ a choice you get to make.” Alec knew Rafael far too well to let that statement be taken out of context.

Once Rafael left to go play with Max, who was absolutely convinced he would be able to teach the girls to read even though they couldn’t say more than a few words each so far, Magnus turned to Alec with a pleasantly surprised look. “How is our _barely_ ten year old child so thoughtful and intelligent?” he asked incredulously. “He’s so smart. That was some decision-making prowess more logical and intelligent than half the adults I know.”

“He was always a really intelligent boy,” Alec reminded him. “He learned English really fast, and he caught up at school really easily. He’s just really smart.”

Magnus squeezed his hand again. “Maybe it’s a Nephilim thing. You’re the smartest guy I know,” he said, making playful eyes at Alec.

Alec rolled his eyes with a smile and looped an arm around Magnus’s shoulders to kiss his temple. “Jace is Nephilim, Magnus. _Jace_ ,” he stressed, and Magnus snorted.

“Okay, maybe it’s just coincidence,” he allowed. He sighed. “God, our baby is old enough to begin Shadowhunter training if he decides to. God, how is that possible?”

“I have no fucking clue,” Alec said harshly, shaking his head as he fought the tight feeling in his lungs. “I started training as soon as legally possible, the same age he is, and now that I’m the father of a ten year old child, I cannot imagine how my parents ever let me do that. We promised him he could make his choices so I won’t stop him if he decides to, but God, Magnus, the thought of teaching such a small child to _kill_ is just…. Fuck,” he groaned, putting his hand to his face. “I’ve never _thought_ about this. All of us, we just- we just start going through grueling physical training and we start training with deadly weapons at _his_ age. Shit, Jace’s father broke the law and started taking him on _hunts_ when he was Max’s age!”

Magnus smiled sadly. “Darling, it kills me, too, trust me, but I was alive at a time where we would already be looking for Rafael a _wife_ around now, so that in three or so years, he’s married,” he stressed. “It breaks my heart to think of my innocent little boy holding a weapon, but it’s not as startling as it could be when I was born to a thirteen year old mother.”

“Oh _God_ ,” Alec groaned, dropping his head back. “He’s eight years younger than _my parents when they married_!”

Magnus chuckled, rubbing Alec’s back soothingly. “Oh, Alexander. You’re finally being struck by the fact our babies are growing up, huh?” he asked, and Alec whined spectacularly as he slumped down on the couch. He grinned. “Alec. He’s _ten_. He’s been ours for less than three years. He is not growing up on us. He’s still a little boy. He plays with cars and colors with crayons. Just because historically, children didn’t get much of a childhood, and just because your culture cuts childhood short even now in the twenty-first century, that doesn’t mean he’s going to become a little grown-up.” He patted his thigh. “He is just curious about his people, Alec. He’s not asking you to take him demon hunting. He just wants to learn about your culture.”

Alec suddenly looked up at the ceiling in horror. “Oh God. _Max is eight_!”

Magnus rolled his eyes. “And you are nearly thirty-“

“Jamila and Iman are already _a year old_ , what the fuck, what the _fuck_!” Alec groaned, putting both hands over his face. “No. My babies are all babies.”

Magnus looked at him with amusement and then stood up, patting his legs. “Alright, Darling. I’ll leave you to your mid-life crisis. Just get over it before five, because Clary is coming over to pick up a potion I mixed up for Jocelyn’s sciatica.” He leaned down and kissed Alec sweetly right on the crown of his head before leaving him there in this minor-panic.

~

Alec had been surprised but a little amused when Clary, upon hearing what Rafael wanted to do, asked if she could come learn some about them as well. She was, of course, just curious, because she had made it abundantly clear that she was happy as a Mundane and didn’t care about joining the Nephilim world in any way, but Alec still thought it was good for her. Her best friend was a vampire and her father was a werewolf, so the Shadow World was her world, too.

“Just remember. They know Luke as a Downworlder contact, not a former Shadowhunter,” he muttered to Clary as they approached the Institute. “You’re just his Mundane step-daughter. They won’t know you’re anything but Mundane so your mom’s secret is safe,” he promised. He looked down at Rafael. “I don’t need to remind you the same as always, right? Clary’s mom is just a Mundane, right?”

Rafael rolled his eyes. “I know this, Dad.”

Alec shook his head. “Of course you do, you know everything, don’t you?” he joked, smiling when Rafael and Clary shared an amused giggle. “Alright, you, Rafael, are gonna go find Max One. Clary and I have to go introduce her to James so that she has official permission to be here.”

“Okay, good luck, Clary!” Rafael said with a wave before bounding off towards Max’s room.

Clary smiled as they headed on. “Man, your kids make me want some,” she said with a sigh. “Such sweet kids. Especially the twins! They’re so adorable. I want one!”

Alec sighed into a shy smile. “I never thought about having kids until I found Max and like… the minute I picked him up, I had no intention of keeping him myself, but I just looked at him and felt this crazy need to protect him and I thought he was so amazing. Then the week before I decided to keep him and make him my son, everything he did made me fall more in love. Babies are just so…” he trailed off and then made a fist in front of them. “I can’t even use words. I just love them all. Even babies that aren’t mine. I see them and think ‘yes, good job making that baby, people, that’s a nice baby’.” Clary laughed at him and he shrugged. “I love my older kids, too, but that’s like the pay-off. You have this tiny, beautiful, perfect baby and you get to watch it grow up and become a little person and know that that little person loves you and is yours.” He grinned. “Even if you didn’t actually _make_ them, you helped them become the person they are going to be one day, so this ‘I did that’ feeling. It’s amazing.”

Clary gave him a little ‘awwww’. “You’re such a dad,” she teased, shaking her head. “It has to be weird that it’s different with Rafael but you love him the same.”

Alec nodded. “It’s weird, but not in a good or bad way. He’s no less my baby just because I never fed him a bottle, you know?” 

“Of course,” Clary said sweetly. “He’s very obviously your kid, even still. You have this ‘nurturing’ vibe that he’s got, too. You’re gonna totally have like a dozen grandkids,” she joked.

“Now that is something I don’t even want to think about,” he joked. “Alright. Here we go, James’s office,” he said, turning into the already open doorway, only to stop when he found Jace, Max, and Izzy there. “Oh, hey guys.” He stepped aside, letting Clary walk into the office. “James, this is Clary Fray,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Luke Garroway’s daughter. She’s here while Rafael is observing.”

James nodded. “Hey, Clary. You’re welcome as long as you listen to Alec and follow any instructions he gives you,” he explained. “There are things here dangerous to those who aren’t Shadowhunters, so anything he tells you is for your own good.”

She nodded. “Right, got it.” She raised her eyebrows and sighed. “Definitely don’t want to die a horrific death because I touched an anti-mundane wallpaper or something,” she said and Isabelle chuckled.

“Don’t worry, the tacky decorating won’t hurt anything but your eyes,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m Isabelle Lightwood. Alec’s sister.”

Clary shook her hand with a smile. “I’ve heard a lot about you. You must be his brothers,” she said to the other two. 

“Jace here,” James started, “is also his Parabatai.” He nodded to Jace and Alec. “You guys can start Rafael’s lesson teaching him about Parabatai, and answer what I’m sure are Clary’s burning questions about that,” he said, in a clear dismissal.

They started down the hall and Alec glanced back. “So, why were you guys in with James?” he asked, and Max hung his head while Jace clapped him on the back with a grin.

“Poor Max, here, went out last night, without permission, and ended up drinking Faerie wine,” he said, and Alec chuckled, shaking his head.

“Max, did you go running naked through Queens?” he asked, and Jace huffed.

“It wasn’t in Queens,” he defended, but Max just looked at him, horrified.

“You ran _naked_ -“

Alec nodded seriously. “I had to chase him down and tackle him to wrap a jacket around his waist. I couldn’t even begin to try putting pants on him like that.”

Isabelle rubbed Max’s back. “Our little delinquent, thankfully, is no Jace. He just confessed his undying love for a stranger and tried to kiss her because, according to the security camera footage we had to pay to erase, ‘I’m too old to be a kiss-virgin’,” she said and Max whined pathetically, both hands over his flaming face. Jace had to tug him to the side to keep him from running into a column, he was too busy hiding his face.

Clary laughed. “Awww, no, you poor thing.” She smiled. “Don’t worry, your siblings are mean. I don’t think it’s funny you got spiked booze,” she comforted. “Also, you’re what, sixteen? Please, there’s lots of sixteen year olds who haven’t ever kissed anybody.”

Jace scoffed. “She’s lying, you nerd. The only sixteen year olds who haven’t kissed anybody are nerds like you,” he ribbed good-naturedly.

Alec rolled his eyes. “Please, you’re _sixteen_. There’s nothing wrong with you for being sixteen and not kissing anybody.” Max looked up at him suspiciously.

“Really? Then why am I the _only one_ ,” he grumbled.

“Dude,” Alec said, giving him a single raised eyebrow. “ _Magnus_ was the first person I ever kissed. I was a _dad_ before I ever kissed anybody. You don’t even get to talk.”

Jace actually stopped walking. “Dude, wait, _seriously_? Your _husband_ was the first- no, like, I know you were a virgin, but _not even kissing_?”

Alec shrugged. “Yeah? I thought you knew this.”

“I did,” Isabelle said with a shrug. “Really, Jace?”

Jace spluttered. “I thought he had probably just kept it on the DL! He went out with us when we were teenagers! It’s not like we always had eyes on him! It would’ve been so easy for him to make out with a random dude at a party. Or hell, a girl to try and make sure.”

“Awwww,” Clary said suddenly, looking up at Alec. “Is Magnus the only person you’ve ever even _kissed_?” she squeaked, and he chuckled softly at her dramatics, but nodded.

“Yes, and to _really_ set your romantic heart a-flutter, I only kissed him after he let slip that he was in love with me,” he said, and she, as expected, actually squealed, slapping a hand over her mouth as she jumped up and down.

“Oh my God, it’s like a romance movie!” she said, slapping him repeatedly in the arm as she looked at Isabelle. “Your brother’s love story is _amazing_!”

Isabelle smiled. “Yeah, it is. For him,” she added, making a face. “The last thing I want is a husband. Or kids. And the ‘only man I’ve been with’ ship sailed a _loooong_ time ago,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Max grimaced. “Ew, Izzy, why? Why do you have to say things like that?”

Jace smirked, slinging an arm around his shoulders as they walked again. “Just be glad we’re not talking about my sex-life, you nerd.”

“Please, no,” Max complained. “At least Izzy probably doesn’t have Demon Pox-“

“That was a vicious rumor spread by that asshole in Idris!” Jace defended vehemently, making Alec snicker and shake his head at Clary.

“Don’t ask. Really, you don’t want to know,” he said and Isabelle nodded seriously.

Alec clapped Max on the back. “You go ahead. We’re going to go show Clary around first. Tell the other to start warming up and make sure Rafael hasn’t snuck off to try and steal a stele again.”

~

Rafael was sitting and waiting in the training room when he heard someone coming. He looked up and saw five older kids coming in, all talking and laughing together. He stayed in his spot sitting on the floor beside the door, since none of them were Max One yet. They glanced over at him, but none of them addressed him. He could hear them talking, though. He didn’t know them, because they had only been there for less than a week, but he had heard Aunt Izzy talking about them.

By process of elimination, he realized that the girl with the curly hair that looked a little older than him, maybe thirteen, had to be Elaine Montclaire. There was a tall, red-haired boy that was almost a grownup that Aunt Izzy had called Marty. There were two light-haired girls so he didn’t remember who was the sixteen year old and who was the fourteen year old, but one was Mason and one was Charlotte. And the last boy had black hair and darker skin, and he thought that had to be Ricky Goel. Ricky Goel was sixteen, just like Max, and the only person that Rafael had heard of before, because he was Raj’s little brother.

“I heard that the wards are Warlock wards,” one of the girls said, either Charlotte or Mason. 

“Yeah,” Ricky said, looking around. “The High Warlock in these parts. He works for the Institute all the time. My mother said Raj has gotten too soft about Downworlders. He never complains about a warlock walking around.”

Marty shrugged. “I heard that they’re really different here.”

Elaine, who was the youngest of the group, smirked. “Last Institute I was at, they still had a secret vault full of _spoils_.” She nodded. “There were _warlock marks_.”

Rafael’s head snapped up and he stared in confusion. “Warlock marks?” Charlotte-or-Mason asked. “Like… taken off a _body_?”

Elaine nodded. “Yeah! The Head of the Institute said that, used to, when they killed warlocks, they could cut off their horns or tails or whatever and keep them to decorate their trophy room with. Like how hunters hang boar heads.”

Rafael’s heart started to pound in his chest at such a horrible thought. He had never heard of Shadowhunters _killing warlocks_. 

Elaine continued. “They had horns from a warlock and his wife’s eyes were in a jar. They were entirely black! The whole eyeball!” she said excitedly. Some of the others looked uncomfortable at her excitement by the whole idea, but Rafael couldn’t focus, because all he could see in his head was Papa’s cat-eyes floating in a jar.

Rafael didn’t even realize he was starting to breathe too loudly until the older Charlotte-or-Mason girl started to come closer. “Hey, Kid. Don’t worry. Everybody is scared of warlocks. Their marks aren’t dangerous, usually, they’re just what identifies them as demonic. There’s no reason to be scared of spoils in some dusty old Institute.” She scrunched her nose with a kind smile. “Besides, that’s illegal now. Working with warlocks makes it so that they won’t turn on us so easily, and we can keep an eye on their activities-“

“Hey, what are you saying to him?” Rafael looked around her eagerly at Max One’s voice and he scrambled off the floor and ran to his uncle’s side. He wanted to be a big kid for his dad his first day watching training, but they said such horrible things he just wanted somebody safe. Max looked down at Rafael where he clung to his waist, hiding his face in Max’s shirt, and glared up at them. “Mason, what did you say to him?” he demanded.

She rolled her eyes. “They just scared him some talking about warlocks and warlock marks.”

Max frowned, looking down at Rafael. “Why would that scare you?” he asked, and Rafael just shook his head, looking up at him with fear in his brown eyes that Max had never seen. 

“I was telling them all about the spoils at the last Institute I was at!” Elaine said proudly. “They had a warlock’s horns mounted on a board-“

“What the _fuck_?!” Max snapped, tugging Rafael tighter into his side. “Holy shit, what the fuck, Elaine?! Where was that? That’s so illegal! It’s horrible and wrong, that’s why it was outlawed! That’s been illegal for two centuries!”

Ricky nodded, looking uncomfortable. “That’s not really something cool, Elaine. I mean… they’re breaking the _Law_ at that Institute.”

Max pushed Rafael behind him, walking over to the others where they were sitting on the bench. “Where were you last? When my brother hears about this-“

“Max, don’t make it worse on you,” Marty warned him. “They pick on you because you’re such a _Mundane_ , don’t become a tattle-tale, too,” he said not un-kindly, but not friendly either. 

Max pulled himself to his full height – he was tall like Dad, but not quite as tall as Dad – and pointed at Rafael. “That’s my nephew you’re saying this shit to!”

Ricky snickered. “Whoa, no wonder he’s freaked out if his mom sleeps around with Downworlders! I didn’t know she had a kid at some point, but I knew your sister was a slut.”

Rafael nor Max got a chance to say anything, because the voice from the doorway was _mad_. “What did you just say about my sister?!”

Rafael watched as Uncle Jace started across the floor towards the suddenly terrified looking Ricky and the snickering rest of the kids. “Jace!” Uncle Jace stopped and turned back, but Rafael didn’t see it because when he heard his dad’s voice, he let out a slight gasp and ran to him, slamming into his leg. 

“Dad,” he said in relief, clutching at his dad’s middle. 

~

Alec looked down at Rafael, who was clearly very upset, and back at Max, who looked _enraged_ , and at Jace, who was suitably pissed that Raj’s shitty little brother had called Isabelle a horrible word.

Isabelle started forward, a dangerous smirk on her face, but before any of them could say anything, Clary stormed past her and walked right up to Ricky and _slapped him_ right across the face. “How DARE you talk like that about a woman?!” she said angrily. “You, you little shit, are everything wrongs with kids these days. Apologize to her for saying such a sexist comment, you little creep!” she demanded, pointing at Isabelle.

Ricky looked shocked, and the other kids, getting over their surprised, started howling with laughter, with the notable exception of Max, who still looked upset. “I- I- I just-“

“Awww, I get it,” Isabelle said, stalking closer. “You’re such a little pathetic loser you can’t handle the thought that I can sleep with whoever I want to when you can’t even make any friends,” she cooed mockingly. “But if you ever say that to another woman, you little shit, I’ll make sure you never say another word when I rip your disrespectful tongue out of your mouth.”

Alec smiled proudly at her, but looked at the laughing kids. “All of you, stop it. Line up,” he commanded, and they all got quiet and lined up beside Ricky. Max lingered, looking at them, and Alec frowned. “Max?”

Max looked at Rafael, then at Elaine. “Alec… Rafael should probably…” He trailed off and Jace looked between Rafael and the kids and then looked at Izzy, who seemed to come to a similar conclusion.

Isabelle rounded on the kids, more rage in her eyes than before. “What did you do to my nephew?” she demanded, and Alec immediately pushed Rafael behind him some, on alert instantly that these teenagers had did something to his child.

“What happened,” he asked in a deathly calm tone, looking at the kids. “Did somebody do something to my son?”

Marty frowned. “Your son, Alec?”

“I thought you said he was a fa-“ Mason slapped a hand over her sister’s mouth, who looked terrified at her slip up.

Jace narrowed his eyes at Charlotte. “Did you almost call my Parabatai a fag?” he asked quietly, and Charlotte shook her head quickly.

Alec rolled his eyes. “Why yes, I am, happily married as well, with four children,” he said simply, looking down the line. “Now. Who upset my son?”

Max looked worriedly at Rafael. “Alec… Alec, they were talking about spoils at some Institute Elain used to be at.” He hesitated. “About… about collections of warlock marks,” he said in a pained tone.

Alec’s head snapped around and he tightened his hand on Rafael. “What?” he spat, voice full of acid. He gently pushed Rafael away and stalked up to Elaine. “Do you have no clue who we are? Did none of you bother finding out the details of where you were coming to live?!” He turned to look up the whole line. “You talked about _murdering Downworlders_ in front of my son?!” he shouted at them.

“But Alec, she’s just talking about old warlock spoils,” Marty tried to defend. “She knows that’s illegal. She just told us what she found-“

“My husband is the High Warlock of Brooklyn,” Alec said seriously, getting in Marty’s face. “He-“ he pointed at Rafael. “Just heard you stupid children laughing about cutting off bits of his father and his brother and if Max hadn’t stopped you, god knows what would’ve been said about werewolf claws when my other children are werewolves!” he shouted angrily.

“She’s only thirteen, she doesn’t know-“

Alec walked down the line to Mason in one step. “She doesn’t know that _murder_ is wrong?! Because that’s all that was.” He stepped back, looking at all of them. “All those warlock marks are people being proud of _murder_. It’s extremely rare that warlocks do anything to warrant us going after them, and we always try to arrest people, not kill them. Keeping body-parts as trophies is what serial killers do! Our kind were the disgusting monsters back then, and some of us wish we could get away with it now,” he said angrily. “But you’ll come to learn really fast that we _do not_ tolerate that sort of bullshit here.”

Max looked at his training partners and shook his head. “That’s my _family_ you’re treating like ‘things’ not people,” he said, looking disgusted in them. “In front of my nephew,” he added pointedly, and they all looked suitably cowed. 

Clary gave Alec a look. “Yeah, some first look at Shadowhunters, Alec,” she drawled. “Gross ass racism.”

Alec shook his head. “I cannot express how sorry I am you had to witness the worst part of Nephilim at first look.” 

“Dad?” Alec instantly turned around and went to Rafael, who had tears in his eyes as he fidgeted in place. “Dad, I wanna go,” he said in a tiny voice, and Alec crouched down in front of him. He put his hands on Rafael’s shoulders and Rafael sniffed and tightened his features, clearly refusing to show weakness in front of those older kids. “I don’t- I don’t think I want to watch them training anymore.”

Alec nodded in understanding, pulling him into a hug. “Do you mind if Clary takes you home so I can make sure these terrible kids learn to think twice before ever saying such horrible things again?”

Rafael nodded, hesitating as he looked over at where Jace was walking up and down the line of trainees. “Is that what Maryse wants to do to Papa since she doesn’t like Downworlders? C-Cut him up in pieces?” he whispered in the most terrified voice.

“No,” Alec said seriously. “She may not like Downworlders, but _nobody_ wants to cut Papa up in pieces. Nobody ever does that anymore. Not ever. That was something horrible people did a long time ago.”

“But why?” Rafael asked weakly. “Why did they _ever_ hurt people like Papa?”

Alec rubbed a hand through Rafael’s hair. “I know you have a lot of questions, but can you wait until we are home with Papa? That’s a much bigger question than I think we should tackle right now. Let’s get you home, and get you calmed down, and when I finish up making sure they never, ever say things like that again, I’ll come home and you and me and Papa can talk, okay?”

Rafael nodded. “Okay.” He hugged Alec tightly when Alec kissed his face, and Alec was loathe to let him go. However, he had a lesson to teach, so he stood up and let Clary come take Rafael’s hand.

“I’m so sorry,” Alec said to her and she just smiled sadly, nodding before taking Rafael and letting Isabelle take her back out to the front entrance.

Alec turned around after they were gone and Jace shared a look with him. “Now. I want to know which Institute you were talking about, Elaine, and then every one of you is going to start with planks until I say you can stop, and if you fall down, you get another ten minutes added on.” They all looked shocked and he stalked closer. “If you have the strength to say a word by the time we’re done today, that means you didn’t train hard enough.”

Jace smirked. “You fucked up now, kids,” he said, nodding to Max. “You start when they do and I’ll tell you when you can move onto something else,” he said, and Max nodded grimly, falling into line with his fellow trainees. 

~

Magnus was very shocked when, hours before he expected anybody to come home, he heard the front door open. He heard little footsteps pounding down the hall and he stood up from his desk. When he got to the door, he heard a bedroom door slam, and he turned to see Clary walking through the living room. “Clary? I thought you and Rafael were staying all afternoon?” 

Clary shook her head, looking angry. “Those teenagers are probably getting the ass kicking of a lifetime right now.”

Magnus’s parent-senses were instantly alert. “What did they do to my son?” he asked as fear started to rise up. “Is he okay? Where did he go-“

“He went to Max the minute I opened the door,” she said sadly. She shook her head. “Those horrible kids. I don’t know what the heck was going on, but from the way Max Lightwood was upset and the way Alec freaked out, and how upset Rafael was, the only thing that I was able to get from it all was that one of the little girls used to live at an Institute that kept like- like hunter trophies of Downworlders?” she asked, making a face. “Something about cutting off bits of dead Downworlders.”

Magnus’s heart dropped into his stomach and he gasped. “Oh God.” He put his face in his hands momentarily. “Oh my God, the first thing Rafael learned about Shadowhunters is that fucking barbarity. God,” he groaned. He looked up. “A long time ago, but not before my lifetime, sadly, Shadowhunters were allowed to keep the belongings or money from Downworlders they killed, and it became a tradition to keep the warlock marks of warlocks they killed. Like some sick blood sport disguised as doing their job,” he said bitterly. He showed her his natural eyes. “My eyes, for example, would’ve been a wonderful prize for some monster.”

She nodded weakly. “The girl was talking about warlock marks they had in secret, I think. Rafael was really, really freaked out. He was almost crying. And when we walked in, I’m not sure if it was related, but one of the teenagers said something about knowing Max’s sister was a slut, so Jace and Alec were both really pissed even before they figured out what those kids were talking about in front of Rafael.” She grumbled. “And one of them nearly slipped and called Alec a homophobic slur when they were confused about Rafael being Alec’s son. But I think mostly the slut-shaming and the homophobic bullshit was forgotten when they found out Rafael had sat there for God knows how long listening to these people talk about how cool it was to have warlock horns on display.”

Magnus looked down the hall. “Well… so much for Rafael becoming a Shadowhunter, I bet.” He shook his head. “He would be a wonderful Shadowhunter, too. Level-headed and fair and just like Alec is.” He reached out and pulled Clary into a hug. “I better go see to my poor, traumatized child before I snap and go unleash on some stupid children.”

Clary chuckled, squeezing him. “Well, I hauled off and slapped the one that called Isabelle a slut, so I can’t say much to you about that,” she said and Magnus threw his head back to laugh at the mental image.

“Have a good night, Clary,” he said, letting her show herself out as he went to find his son.

~

Alec stuck around long enough to watch the kids drag themselves out of the training room before going to shower and change so he could go home. When he was coming out of the bathroom, he ran into Marty, who was clearly waiting for him as he leaned against the wall opposite them. Marty stood when he saw him, and Alec raised an eyebrow.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry for what happened today,” Marty said seriously. “I know it doesn’t make up for what was said in front of your kid, but Elaine is only thirteen, Alec. She doesn’t know better.”

Alec raised an eyebrow. “When I was thirteen, I was looking after my brother and sister mostly alone here, not boasting about a disgusting practice that was outlawed centuries ago. You think I had a single friendly interaction with Downworlders that young?” he asked. “I was raised the same way all of you were, I just wasn’t stupid enough to actually believe the horrible things people said about innocent people who just happen to be a different species.” He shook his head. “If you want to do anything to actually make up for traumatizing my son, you teach those kids to learn better.”

Marty was seventeen, he was almost an adult, and Alec knew that he tried to take on a leadership role to the younger ones, but he had done nothing to stop Elaine talking shit. “She’s a little kid,” Marty tried, and Alec shook his head.

“My ten year old son is also a little kid. Elaine is a Shadowhunter. The next generation of Shadowhunters needs to be progress, not a backslide. And after that being his introduction to Shadowhunters he hasn’t known his entire life in this city, I’m pretty sure he won’t decide to become one, so it’s up to you kids,” Alec stressed. “You’re seventeen. Five years from where you are, I started learning first-hand that ‘just a little kid’ doesn’t mean shit. You may not have realized it before today, but it’s not a secret I am the father of Downworlders,” he stressed. “Ask anybody anywhere and they’ll tell you all about how Inquisitor Lightwood’s downworlder-loving scum of a firstborn adopted a baby warlock that had been abandoned at twenty-two years old.” He gestured around them. “This was all mine. In the bag. I was poised to be the youngest Head of the Institute ever, and I lost all of what I had worked for because I _protected an innocent baby_ ,” he stressed. “There were Nephilim here that wouldn’t even feed him, they were so disgusted by a _baby_.” Alec stared him in the eyes. “Elaine is a little kid expected to be forgiven for not understanding that what she was boasting about was _murder_ , but my six-month-old baby wasn’t worthy of being fed just because of his species.”

Marty looked suitably shocked. “You- you gave up the Institute?” he asked, as if he couldn’t imagine such a thing, and Alec could remember a time he probably would’ve been the same way. “I fully understand what you’re saying, but still. You’re Alec _Lightwood_ , and you gave up the Institute?”

“I’m Alec Lightwood- _Bane_ , and I chose to be a father,” he countered. “I don’t know you well enough yet to know whether or not you’ll be a decent parent someday, but you can still be a decent leader now, and show those kids what they did to deserve their punishment.” Alec looked at him closely. “You’re the only one that didn’t say something stupid today, Marty. You’re the only one who seems old enough to know better. Those kids should all be old enough to know better _now_. My Parabatai knew better and he had already killed demons and downworlders alike by the time we met when we were younger than Elaine. We protect Mundanes and Downworlders alike from the Downworlders who deserve to be hunted and the demons that threaten us all.” He shook his head. “And if I ever hear somebody talking about warlock marks as trophies ever again in this Institute, I’ll send them before the council. My husband was alive during the time of that shit going on, though thankfully only briefly. I do not play around with the archaic, monstrous ideas of the past. Not when my children are involved.”

Marty nodded. “I’ll make sure they study in the library and learn the histories and laws of the Nephilim,” he agreed, making Alec smile in surprise.

“See? You can be a good leader after all,” he said, clapping Marty on the shoulder.

Marty walked side by side with him in silence for a moment before speaking up. “You’re married to Magnus Bane?” he asked, and Alec nodded, smiling.

“Yep. High Warlock Lightwood-Bane,” he sighed. “We’ve been together six years now. Married a few of them.”

Marty shook his head. “How is that? Marriage to a warlock?”

“Convenient,” Alec joked. “When the Clave granted me guardianship of Rafael, he just spent an afternoon remodeling our home with magic to add on a bedroom for him and a guestroom for my sister if she stayed over to babysit. And when we adopted twin girls last year, same thing. We never have to move, since our home is magical.”

Marty looked amused. “What about the fact he’s immortal? Isn’t that… weird?”

Alec shrugged. “Not yet. I’ll be thirty this year, but I still look pretty much the same as when we met. No gray hair or wrinkles yet. I imagine it’ll be sort of weird when I look old and he’s not, but he can glamor himself around our Mundane neighbors when that time comes.”

“It doesn’t bother you that in a hundred years, you’ll probably be replaced?” Marty asked without hesitation, making Alec grin at his directness. 

Alec shook his head. “No. Because he married me and we’re raising children together. I won’t ever be ‘replaced’. Just like I’m not a replacement for anybody he loved before me. I mean, he was never married or a parent before me, but that’s just because people are stupid,” he joked.

Marty looked at him in confusion. “But you’re okay with the thought that one day, the person you’re married to, especially if you’re the first spouse he’s had, will fall in love with somebody else? How can an immortal and a mortal be married and that not constantly loom over the relationship? You might love just him the rest of your life, but he won’t do the same for you. That really doesn’t bother you?” he asked, seeming more genuinely curious than anything.

“Of course not,” Alec said simply. He stopped so he could face Marty. “Look, I can’t expect you to understand this at seventeen – not a dig at your age, just being honest – but when you actually grow up and _really_ fall in love, you realize how different it is than what it was like at your age.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t _want_ my husband to love only me for the rest of his life if he’s going to live centuries longer.” Marty looked doubtful and Alec chuckled. “I hope he does find someone who loves him as much as I do else after I’m gone. I love him, why would I want him to be alone and sad for hundreds of years?” he asked simply. “I hope after he gets through grieving me, he finds someone who loves him and makes him happy. Anybody that doesn’t want that doesn’t really love their immortal husband.” 

They started walking again and Alec continued. “You realize as an adult that ‘one love’ isn’t always the right way. Look at Lydia. It’s no secret that she was married once,” he said, and Marty looked surprised. “Her husband was killed by a demon not long after they got married, and it took her a long time, but now she has a boyfriend in Alicante. Her husband would not have wanted her to live the rest of her life alone and sad,” he said confidently. “All the time, Mundanes lose a spouse and marry again. We have it less because we often die young together, but it’s just how things go. Her loving another guy now doesn’t mean what she had with her late husband is lessened. When Magnus finds someone else after me, it won’t mean he didn’t really love me as much as he thought he did. And maybe we do have more than he’s had before, but that doesn’t mean what he had with this guy he really loved two-hundred years ago wasn’t still real and special.”

“I guess,” Marty said, still looking skeptical. “Also, you do have that warlock kid with him. So it’s not like he can ever forget about you,” he allowed.”

Alec nodded. “That and my last name.” He shook his head. “I’m not worried about him forgetting me.” He gave Marty a knowing look. “As much as you have tried to distract me with conversation, I’m mostly worried about getting home and finding him planning to turn you and the other trainees into ferrets for what trauma our son experienced.”

Marty looked more stricken this time than he had before, going pale a bit. “I- I guess it’s hard to really think about the fact that- that Downworlders have families. Your children have a warlock parent and we just talk about history like it’s a thing that didn’t actually happen.” He nodded to Alec. “I’m really sorry your son had to hear those things. I’ll try and make sure Elaine really understands that those are people she’s talking about.”

“I wish everybody would understand that, Marty, but try as I might, you just can’t win some of them,” Alec said softly. “I’m just doing my best to stop you kids from becoming unable to realize that every Downworlder you talk about is a person with a life and a family and dreams, just like you.”

“I think I understand that now,” Marty said sadly, stopping while Alec continued, clearly deep in thought as Alec left the Institute to head home.

~

Rafael didn’t want to talk to Magnus, which was upsetting, seeing as he was clearly very, very upset. Max was the only one he would talk to, and Magnus was left just standing in the doorway to the twins’ nursery watching Rafael and Max play with their baby sisters and whisper back and forth. He wouldn’t snoop on them, and they knew he wouldn’t, but it still was upsetting that he couldn’t comfort his traumatized child. Max seemed just as visibly horrified as Rafael had been, so it was without doubt that Rafael was telling him what happened.

Magnus left them to go start dinner, hoping that when Alec got home, they could all sit down and talk about it, so that Rafael wouldn’t be so confused and upset anymore. Magnus could only imagine how much of a mind-fuck it was to go from the Lightwoods as his only frame of reference for Shadowhunters to suddenly having the first thing he heard from another source be fond remembrance of a time when it would’ve been common to chop his family members up in bits.

When he heard the door open, he stuck his head out into the living room to see Alec coming in. “Alexander,” he said, and Alec looked over. He twirled a finger to turn off the stove as he left the kitchen. “Alec, what happened?” he asked, eyes wide and hands held out to his sides. “Clary told me why my child was having a meltdown, but what the hell went wrong?” he asked, and Alec immediately closed the distance between them and hugged him a lot harder than he expected. “Whoa, you okay?” he asked worriedly.

Alec groaned against his neck. “You should be proud I didn’t punch a child today,” he said bluntly and Magnus sighed, curling his arms around Alec comfortingly. “It was like a giant clusterfuck of horrible things all at once.”

“What exactly happened?” Magnus asked soothingly, petting Alec’s back.

Alec rubbed his face into Magnus’s neck. “I’m sure you heard from Clary. The thirteen year old, Elaine, she’s such a _Shadowhunter_ ,” he groaned. “She was bragging about how the last Institute she was at had secret spoils and trophies they didn’t give up to the Clave in the late nineteenth century and telling the others all about the fucking trophies.” He shuddered. “I told Rafael to wait for us, and I guess they didn’t care a random kid was in there when they started talking about it. Then Charlotte, the fourteen year old, called me a fag by accident-“

“How do you do that by accident?!” Magnus demanded and Alec chuckled.

“When it was mentioned that Rafael’s my son she just blurted out, ‘but I thought he was a fag’ and her sister had to slap a hand over her mouth. The little ones have no tact,” he said, pulling back. “And Raj’s little brother called Isabelle a slut, and Clary slapped him right in the face,” he added with a grin. “That one is an asshole, and he’s going to get it when I let Isabelle train them.”

“Deserves it,” Magnus said, smiling sadly. “Raj has always been a dick, so I’m not surprised.” He shook his head. “Rafael won’t talk to me. He and Max have been playing with the girls since they got home. I decided to cook dinner for us while waiting.”

Alec made a dramatic scared face. “Oh no, we’re going to all die,” he joked and Magnus slapped him in the hip and rolled his eyes. 

“Not everybody can be as perfect as you, Alexander,” he teased. He pulled away. “Want to try and talk to our poor children?” he asked and Alec grimaced.

“Yeah, we should start there.” He curled his fingers through Magnus’s for strength as they headed to the nursery. When they got there, Rafael was sitting in the rocking chair with Iman asleep in his arms, her little body fitting just against his chest. Max and Jamila were laying on the floor playing with big, rounded baby blocks, and Rafael was looking at both of them with a look in his eyes that were far too serious for how young he was.

“Hey guys,” Magnus said, walking into the room. He and Alec walked over and nodded to the floor. “Rafael, will you come down here and let’s all sit on the floor?” Magnus asked and Rafael nodded silently, carefully bringing Iman with him. He didn’t put her down even as he sat on the floor, instead tucking her into his lap and kissing her forehead as she continued to nap. “Rafe?” he asked softly.

Max, however, was the one that spoke up. “Why did those other kids wanna chop me up and put me in a jar?” he asked bluntly, looking outraged by the whole idea. “Papa, you shouldn’t go back to the Institute, they might try and poke your eyes out!” he cried fearfully.

“They do not want to chop you up and put you in a jar,” Magnus said firmly, reaching out to take Jamila from him and pull him into his side so he could hug both Jamila and Max. “Blueberry, Shadowhunters do not cut off our warlock marks and keep them. Do you really think your papa would let anybody do that?” he asked, then looked over at Alec. “Do you think your dad would work with people who wanted to do that?”

Max frowned. “Well, no?”

“But they used to.” Rafael spoke up, looking down at Iman still. “Didn’t they? They- they used to be proud of killing people and- and they kept warlock marks like they were gold medals.”

Alec closed his eyes and exhaled before nodding. “Yes. They did,” he said honestly. One thing he and Magnus had always said was that they would do their best not to lie to their kids. Not about serious matters. And no matter how much it hurt, he couldn’t hide the past sins of their people. “There was a time when there was basically no justice for murderers who hurt Downworlders just for fun. I know even if it was outlawed, Papa was alive before they enforced that.”

Magnus nodded sadly. “It’s true, Rafe. It was a bad time. Which is why it’s so good that things are better today. No, they don’t see me and Max like you and Dad, yet, but things are so different. Look at Aunt Izzy’s boyfriends. There was a time when she could’ve been disowned for that. Her parents would’ve been ashamed of her dating anybody that wasn’t a Shadowhunter. Even Mundanes weren’t good enough to date.” He shook his head. “I knew Shadowhunters who were driven from the Clave because one parent married a Mundane. They were banished from ever speaking to anybody from their people ever again. Things are so much better, now.”

“But that girl still was _bragging_ about it,” Rafael said angrily. He rocked Iman nervously. “She’s just a girl and she was laughing about it. Like warlocks aren’t people just like her. And if they say that about warlocks, what- what would she say about them?” Rafael looked down at Iman and over at Jamila. “How can anybody be so terrible?”

Alec sighed. “Rafe, it’s not an excuse, but she is just thirteen. She hasn’t ever learned better. We can fix that and teach them better-“

“I’m ten and I know better!” he said quickly, eyes wide. “Why doesn’t she? She was laughing about- about hurting people like Papa and Max!”

Magnus glanced at Max and then decided he may as well not try to protect either of them. “Rafael, we’ve briefly talked about it before, but this is nothing singular to Shadowhunters,” he said openly and honestly. “You guys don’t see it because we have you in a good school and you only watch what we let you see on TV and in movies, and it’s not something we really face that often because of who I am and who your dad is, but it’s just simple racism. You may not have learned about it much yet, but it was even more recent than spoils and warlock hunting that, in this country, Iman and Jamila would have only ever been here because they had been stolen from Africa and brought here to be slaves. I know you’ve talked about slavery at least a little bit in school,” he explained. “But what you probably don’t know is that that was less than two-hundred years ago,” he said, and Rafael looked absolutely shocked. Max seemed a little confused, but he probably hadn’t learned about slavery yet in history class.

“But- that was _after_ Shadowhunter spoils-“

“Yes,” Alec confirmed. “Sixty years ago, half of this country wouldn’t have allowed me to marry a woman that wasn’t white. There are still people who look at you guys funny when you are out with me, because I’m white and you, Iman, and Jamila aren’t. Even ignoring the fact Papa is a man, there is nothing unique about Shadowhunters being horrific in their racism. It’s just because of being Downworlders, not the color of your skin,” he tried to explain. “Anti-Downworlder Shadowhunters are just racists. It’s all wrong. It’s all terrible. But things really are getting better.”

Magnus nodded. “Trust me, Rafael, Max,” he said, looking at them both. “I’ve lived long enough to see the way Shadowhunters have changed. Our family is proof things are so much better. But being better doesn’t mean everybody is perfect. There are always people who are horrible. That little girl may not be horrible,” he pointed out. “But she was raised by people who never taught her to not be horrible. All of those kids. All of those people who made them think it’s funny or cool to have that sort of horrible reminder of the past, they are all people who need to learn better. They need to be taught better.” He reached out for Alec’s hand. “Your dad needs to teach them better,” he said with a fond smile. 

Rafael nodded slowly, looking down at Iman. “I still don’t wanna go back to watch them training. I don’t want anything to do with those kids. They still said mean things about Aunt Izzy, and that’s not cause they didn’t learn better,” he said, and Alec grunted.

“That’s definitely something that made me mad, too, so I don’t blame you.” He reached out for Rafael, who sighed and held out his hand, letting Alec take it. “Look. I promise, that won’t ever happen again. And when I get it sorted out what Institute she was talking about, _they_ will learn a hard lesson from the Clave,” he said seriously. “But if you don’t want to come back, that’s fine.” He smiled encouragingly. “This week they’re all just being punished for that display anyways. But if you change your mind later on, I’ll be happy to show you some things. And if you don’t want to see them train, you can still start learning about history and runes and stuff.”

Rafael looked at him for a minute and then nodded. “I want to read some books,” he suggested and Alec grinned.

“My favorite way to learn,” he said, leaning over to kiss Rafael’s head, even if he made a face at him. “I’ll bring you some books home. Just don’t tell James I stole them from the Institute.”

“So,” Max said, interrupting their moment. “They _don’t_ want to cut me up in little pieces, right?” he asked, and Magnus nodded seriously.

“They do not in any way want to hurt you,” he promised. Max looked skeptical, but seemed to accept it.

“Okay. Just checkin’,” he said, and Magnus chuckled, kissing his hair, taking a moment to touch his little horns. Max reached up and touched them, too. “My horns would look cool on a wall, but I like ‘em on my head better,” he decided and Alec rolled his eyes.

“Max, don’t even joke about that,” he said, holding out his arm so Max could come to him and sit in his lap for a hug. “I would never, ever let anybody hurt you or your papa. You never have to worry about Shadowhunters coming after you, because you have a whole family full of them who would kick their butts.”

Max nodded with a serious look. “You’re big and strong, Dad. If anybody tried, you would totally kick the crap out of them!” he said, making punching motions. “You could hit anybody and their head might fly off!”

“Your dad cannot punch someone’s head off,” Magnus laughed, and Alec just winked and grinned.

“Hey, you never know. Maybe I can and you just never saw it,” he teased, high-fiving Max when he giggled at him. “Although, I can confirm, even though she’s a mundane, Clary can slap teenage boys really hard,” he said and Rafael smirked at the memory. “He’ll think twice before saying mean things about girls ever again, huh?”

“He better, cause I won’t stand for somebody saying mean stuff about my sisters,” Max said boldly. “I may be little, but that just means I can kick him in the legs really, really hard.”

Magnus snorted. “We should remind you both that violence is not the answer, but personally, I think that one kid had it coming,” he said, then pointed at both boys. “But at school, you do not hit. Ever. Right?”

They both nodded dutifully and Alec ducked his head to hide his smile as he thought about all the fights he got into when he was a little boy. “I see you, Darling, don’t think I don’t know how much of a bad little kid you were,” Magnus said, and Alec looked up, revealing his childish smirk. “Your sister has talked often about you getting into fist fights over every little thing. She said you and Jace would fight just for the sake of fighting.”

Alec shrugged innocently. “I liked to win?” he tried and Max stood up and put his hands on his hips, looking offended.

“Dad! You can’t fight your brother!” he chastised. “If I hit Rafael, I’d cry ‘cause I hurt him!”

“Yeah, Dad, that’s not cool,” Rafael chided, giving him a disappointed look. “You and Uncle Jace were bad.”

Alec snickered and turned to Magnus. “Our children are getting onto me now,” he said, and Magnus grinned.

“Yes, well, we raised our kids better than your parents raised your bad little tail.” He leaned over and kissed Alec quickly. “I still love you, even if you were a bad child.”

Alec helped Magnus put Iman and Jamila in their cribs for naptime and let the boys run and play for a while before they went to finish dinner, but on his way back, he stopped by Rafael’s room and knocked on his door. When Rafael looked up from where he was coloring with Max, Alec was reminded that, even if he was growing up, Rafael was still just a little boy. “Hey. You know that I wouldn’t ever hurt Downworlders, right?” he asked hesitantly. “I know some bad things were revealed today, but you do know I wouldn’t ever hurt an innocent person just because I’m a Shadowhunter.”

“I know, Dad,” Rafael said with a small smile. “You’re my dad,” he said as if that explained everything.

When Alec resumed his trip down the hall, he thought that maybe, to Rafael, that was all he needed to know.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not ready to be done with this series, so what do you guys think next? I think we need something FLUFFY after this, so maybe a time-jump to the girls being older so there's all the cute from Magnus buying them cute little dresses and Alec braiding their hair with ribbons and stuff. I need a little something else of a PLOT for that, so help me out!


End file.
